Yoke for draft-riggings.



v-. wlLLouGH'BY. YOKE F08 DRAFT RIGGINGS. APPLICATION FILED MAB. I8 ISIS?.

@d Apr. 4, 1916.

VICTOR WILLOUGHBY, OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDANA, A.;`S[Grl\IGRv T0 XVILLIAll'II.

MINER, 0F CI-IAZY, NEW YORK.

YOKE FOR DRAFT-RIGGIN GS.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, VICTOR WILLoUGi-IBY, a citizenof the United States, residing at Jeffersonville, in the county of Clark and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Yokes for Draft-Riggings, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,

reference being had to the accompanyingl drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in yokes for draft riggings.

An object of the invention is to provide a yoke for draft riggings which consists of two members adapted to bel attachedto a draw-barand to be interlockedand prevented from lateral separation by means formed integrally on the two parts.

The invention furthermore consists in the improvements in the parts and devices and in the novel combinations of the parts and devices, as herein shown, described or claimed.

In the drawing forming a part of 'this speciiication, Figure 1 is a` side elevation of a yoke embodying my improvements and showing the coupler in dotted hne's. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the structure illustrated in Fig. `1. I the improved yoke. Fig. et is a vertical transverse sectional View taken substantially on the line 4.--4 of Fig. 1 and Fig..5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating another form of my improvements.

In said drawing, the yoke which is designated generally by the reference A is shown as comprising two, preferably like mgmbers B. B, each of said. members B havino an up per arm l0, lower arm 11, rear connecting member 12 and front side wall 13,- all of said members 10, 11, 12 and 13 being arranged so as to form a pocket for `the reception of the usual followers and gear of a draft rigging. Each side plate 13, as shown, is slotted as at 14.- for the reception oft-LaJ coupler key in case the same should-be employed. On their inner faces, the arms 10 and 11, at their forward ends, are provided with in- Aturned shoulders 15-15 arranged to engagethe usual upper and lower shoulders 16-16 l formed on a draw-bar 17. -For purposes of strength, the upper and lower. arms ,1Q, and 11 are each provided with longltudinalljir eX- tending ribs 18 on their outer edges and ad- Speciicaton of Letters Patent.

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of Patented Apr. 4. 1916.

Application led March 18,1915. Serial No. 15,220.

ditional strengthening .ribs 19 may be provided at the front end (sce Figs. and 3). In order to prevent the lateral separation of the two loop yoke members B when the latter are in operative position and at the same time to permit easy assembling thereof, provide each member B, near the center lon gitudinally thereof, with an overhanging lip 20, which lips 20 are adapted to engage and coperate with correspondingly formed `ribs 21-21, the lips 20 and ribs 2l shown in the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 to e linclusive being confined entirely within vertical planes coincident with the sides of the yoke members B. As shown in F ig. 5, the lips 120 are extended so as to overlap the corresponding outer ribs 118 of theadjacent yoke members. l

As will be apparent, the yoke is assembled with the draw-bar by nrst placing one member B in operative position thereon and then ,the second member B is vapplied by sliding it longitudinally relatively to the draw-bar and the other member'Buntil the second member B has its inturned shoulders 15 in engagement with the draw-bar shoulders'l. During this operation, the lips and coperable ribs will slide into engagement with each other and when so engaged, the yoke members B B cannot be separated laterally. Also, when the followers and gear are applied within the openings ofthe yoke, accidental relative longitudinal movement of the yoke members B will be prevented, although limited relative longitudinal movementf is permitted between the yoke members in the event that an eccentric load is applied to the gear in the movements of the draw-bar.

As will be apparent, by locating the locking means for the yokefmembers near the center thereof, longitudinally, I avoid danger of interference witlrithe usual stops on cheek castings employed in the draft rigging. Furthermore, the effect resulting from any tendency to spread the two yoke members apart, as for instance when the draw-bar is swung laterally from the center line of the gear, is minimized.

For cheapness in manufacture the two yoke members B .B are preferably made of like form so that they may be cast from the same pattern. I have shown my improve ments in connection with a yoke having a .single pocket only but, aswill be apparent te those skilled in the art,`the improvements are equally applicable to yokes of other types ment with a coupler said members having 10 such as the tandem and hence I do not Wish integral, coperating, slidably engaging to be ,limited to the exact structure shown in means located near the longitudinal center the drawings but contemplate al1 changes thereof to prevent lateral separation Whe sand modifications as come Within the scope the parts are in assembled position.

of the claim appended hereto. VICTOR WILLOUGHBY.

I claim:- Witnesses: A yoke of the character described com- ALLEN W. CLARKE,

prising two members arranged for engage- JOHN W. ,DOLAR 

